Method and Apparatus for Displaying an Image

1. A method of facilitating the provision of an image as a background wallpaper of a user interface for display on a display of an electronic device, the device being configured to display the user interface and wallpaper in first and second different orientations during use, comprising: generating, based on the image, a first thumbnail comprising a representation of the appearance of the display having the image as the background wallpaper in a first orientation showing how the features of the image may be obscured in use as the background wallpaper by features of the user interface when in the first orientation; generating, based on the image, a second thumbnail comprising a representation of the appearance of the display having the image as the background wallpaper in a second orientation showing how the features of the image may be obscured in use as the background wallpaper by features of the user interface when in the second orientation; simultaneously displaying on the display the first and second thumbnails; and providing user interface functionality enabling the user to separately manipulate the representation of the image shown in each of the first and second thumbnails to adjust how the image would appear as a wallpaper background in that orientation, wherein providing the user interface functionality comprises: providing a full screen representation of the appearance of the display having the image as the background wallpaper corresponding to and in response to a selection of a thumbnail for adjustment, adjusting the representation of the image as the wallpaper background in the full screen representation relative to overlying user interface features responsive to touch gestures detected on the touch screen in relation to the background wallpaper; and simultaneously re-displaying on the display the first and second thumbnails when adjustments made to the representation of the image in the full screen representation are accepted or rejected, wherein, if the user accepts the adjustments, the thumbnail selected for adjustment is updated before being displayed to reflect the accepted adjustments.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing functionality allowing the user to selectably cause the generation and display of different pairs of first and second thumbnails in which the image is represented in different ways to provide the background wallpaper.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein in a selectable pair of thumbnails the representation of the image is based on a user-defined view of the image.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the user-defined view of the image is generated by user interaction with an image viewer application.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein in a selectable pair of thumbnails the representation of the image is based on the original image.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein in a selectable pair of thumbnails the representation of the image or the representation of the user-defined view of the image is sized: identically in both thumbnails; or to fill the area of the thumbnail representing the area for the background wallpaper; or so that the its entire extent is displayed in the area of the thumbnail representing the area for the background wallpaper; or so that its full width is displayed in the area of the thumbnail representing the area for the background wallpaper; or so that its full height is displayed in the area of the thumbnail representing the area for the background wallpaper.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aspect ratio of the image is maintained in the first and second thumbnails.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing user interface functionality enabling the user to select the use of the image as the background wallpaper based on the selected thumbnail images.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising generating first and second versions of the image in accordance with the representation of the image in the selected thumbnails for use as the background wallpaper in the first and second orientations.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second orientations correspond to portrait and landscape.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display is a multitouch display and the manipulation of the representation of the image is achieved by the user manipulating the multitouch display.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface functionality is such that the representation of the image as the wallpaper background in a thumbnail is adjustable by directly manipulating the thumbnail itself.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thumbnails include representations of visual elements of the user interface that can appear in relation to the background wallpaper in use.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thumbnails are simultaneously displayed having the same orientation on the display.

15. An electronic device comprising: a display; one or more processors; and memory comprising instructions for facilitating the provision of an image as a background wallpaper of a user interface for display on the display, the device being configured to display the user interface and wallpaper in first and second orientations during use, which when executed by one or more of the processors cause the electronic device to: generate, based on the image, a first thumbnail comprising a representation of the appearance of the display having the image as the background wallpaper in a first orientation showing how the features of the image may be obscured in use as the background wallpaper by features of the user interface when in the first orientation; generate, based on the image, a second thumbnail comprising a representation of the appearance of the display having the image as the background wallpaper in a second orientation different from the first orientation showing how the features of the image may be obscured in use as the background wallpaper by features of the user interface when in the second orientation; simultaneously display on the display the first and second thumbnails; and provide user interface functionality enabling the user to separately manipulate the representation of the image shown in each of the first and second thumbnails to adjust how the image would appear as a wallpaper background in that orientation, wherein the user interface functionality is such that: a full screen representation of the appearance of the display having the image as the background wallpaper corresponding to and in response to a selection of a thumbnail for adjustment is provided, the representation of the image as the wallpaper background in the full screen representation is adjusted relative to overlying user interface features responsive to touch gestures detected on the touch screen in relation to the background wallpaper, and the first and second thumbnails are simultaneously re-displayed on the display when adjustments made to the representation of the image in the full screen representation are accepted or rejected, wherein, if the adjustments are accepted, the thumbnail selected for adjustment is updated before being re-displayed to reflect the accepted adjustments.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , further comprising: means for detecting the orientation of the device, the device being configured to select the orientation of the displayed user interface based on the detected orientation of the device.

17. A computer program product comprising: memory comprising instructions for facilitating the provision of an image as a background wallpaper of a user interface for display on a display of an electronic device, the device being configured to display the user interface and wallpaper in first and second orientations during use, which when executed by one or more of the processors of the device cause the device to: generate, based on the image, a first thumbnail comprising a representation of the appearance of the display having the image as the background wallpaper in a first orientation showing how the features of the image may be obscured in use as the background wallpaper by features of the user interface when in the first orientation; generate, based on the image, a second thumbnail comprising a representation of the appearance of the display having the image as the background wallpaper in a second orientation different from the first orientation showing how the features of the image may be obscured in use as the background wallpaper by features of the user interface when in the second orientation; simultaneously display on the display the first and second thumbnails; and provide user interface functionality enabling the user to separately manipulate the representation of the image shown in each of the first and second thumbnails to adjust how the image would appear as a wallpaper background in that orientation, wherein the user interface functionality is such that: a full screen representation of the appearance of the display having the image as the background wallpaper corresponding to and in response to a selection of a thumbnail for adjustment is provided, the representation of the image as the wallpaper background in the full screen representation is adjusted relative to overlying user interface features responsive to touch gestures detected on the touch screen in relation to the background wallpaper, and the first and second thumbnails are simultaneously re-displayed on the display when adjustments made to the representation of the image in the full screen representation are accepted or rejected, wherein, if the adjustments are accepted, the thumbnail selected for adjustment is updated before being re-displayed to reflect the accepted adjustments.